The Pain
by Haruka-Chan 212
Summary: After seeing the interaction between Fang and Vanille, Lightning finds herself slightly jealous. AU. Lightning/Fang pairing. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I am proud to say that I was at the midnight release for this game. At first I was apprehensive of the game play, mainly the battle system. But I will highly recommend this game to anybody, it's a sharp improvement over FF12.

Anyway, I'm currently on Chapter 10 of 13 in the game, so personally I do not know how it ends. I'd appreciate that nobody tells me either. So facts in this story may not be 100% correct based along the storyline. With that said, enjoy…

Lightning/Fang pairing...written from Lightning's POV, slightly AU and out of character.

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The Pain

Chapter 1

I gripped my weapon with both hands, raised it to strike the final blow…then the monster fell. My eyes met with those same green ones they always met with.

"It's not a contest darling." There was almost a smug tone in her voice as she poised her spear on her shoulder.

"Let's keep moving. It's starting to get dark." I pushed past her and easily hopped over a boulder that was blocking the path.

"Why are you always so cranky?" I ignored Vanille when she spoke.

"It's the only thing she seems to excel at." I turned in time to see Fang cradle Vanille in her arms as she slid off the rock. "There we go."

Why was she taking so long to let her go? They tell us they're sisters. What kind of sisters though. I've never been that touchy-feely with Serah. I don't get it. "There's a waterfall in the distance, we can stop there for the night." I turned my back to the group and led the way, gunblade in hand in case of beasts.

"Argh!" The grunt escaped my lips unexpectedly when I was blindsided by a behemoth. Everything went black when I hit a solid surface several feet away.

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"Don't leave yourself drained Hope. She's still alive."

The smell of burning embers and the fresh scent of falling water started filling my senses. I felt one more crash of soothing magic wash over my body. My eyes opened.

"That was a nasty hit you took there." I was shoved back into a laying position when I attempted to sit up. "No you don't. You need to rest. For once, let someone else keep watch." As much as I hated to admit it, Snow was right. I ached in places I had never ached before. My right leg felt numb. My left leg felt like it weighed a ton. "Fang will keep watch, she already offered."

"Of course she will." I turned my head to look away. My eyes focused on the mist that rose from the waterfall. "Let me guess, she slayed the behemoth too, right?"

Nobody answered me. I should have known though. Of course Fang slayed the monster. Next to Snow and I, she was the most powerful. What am I saying? I'm admitting that she's just as strong as I am. She's not. I have to prove it. I pushed myself to sit up against a rock. The others began making beds of leaves and grass to sleep on. Hope pulled a blanket from our supply bag and walked slowly over toward me.

"Here, this will keep you warm." He didn't let me take it from him. Instead he unfolded it and draped it over my lap.

"Thank you." I pulled it up onto my shoulder and leaned my head back to close my eyes.

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My eyes shot open when a wave of pain shot across my shoulders. I bit my lip to keep from gasping aloud. I didn't want to wake the others. She was awake though. She was a lot like me, her body was accustomed to little or no sleep each day. I sighed softly and kicked the blanket off of my legs to stand up. I needed to move around, regardless of my pain.

"And where do you think you're going?" Of course she noticed me.

"I can't sleep." I kept my answer simple.

"You should be sleeping. Long trip tomorrow ya know." I watched as she ran her fingers through Vanille's hair one last time before using her spear to hoist herself up. Ignoring her, I walked to the water to get a drink. My throat felt scratchy, almost like I had swallowed a cotton ball. I couldn't stand to watch her and Vanille. Each time they shared a glance, a small touch, anything, I felt my heart ripping in half. "What's your problem anyway Light?"

"I don't have a problem."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw a smile grow on her lips. That simple smile made my heart race. It wasn't the same smile that she gave to her though. "Lightning, you're a liar."

"Go to hell Fang." I turned to walk by her, my eyes never lifted to meet hers. It was safer that way. I couldn't let her see that she made my solid soldier exterior crumble.

"My, my, someone's touchy tonight."

She grabbed my wrist as I got by her. "Let me go, or you'll regret it." Though, I really wanted to scream at her to hold me tighter.

"That a threat darling?" She tilted her head to the side. "You know, you don't scare me." Without hesitation I yanked my wrist from her grasp and swung my right hand in an attempt to punch her. To my dismay she grabbed my fist with her hand. Her head tilted to the other side. "Don't go hurting yourself now."

I looked at her one last time, it turned out to be a mistake once my eyes met with those damned green ones again. "I really can't stand you sometimes, you're just as bad as Snow." She plucked my last nerve quite often, just like him. He does it because he cares…though, I doubt that's the reason she's doing it. She doesn't care about me. I'm just a traveling companion to her and Vanille.

I knelt to pick up my gunblade before returning to my spot against the rocks. She on the other hand, returned to her spot beside Vanille. I couldn't help but to stay awake the rest of the evening watching her, wondering what in fact was going through her mind. I feared I may never know.


	2. Chapter 2

**_I really wasn't expecting to get reviews lol : ) And such nice ones at that. I figured I'd cover myself with the "out of character" thing, just in case it wasn't 100% correct. Glad people like this. I love the game and the storyline thus far and figured I'd try to get into the FF13 fanfic scene early.

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The Pain

Chapter 2

I was awake long before any of the others. Honestly, I never fell back to sleep. I stood up with little effort. The l'cie power helped me to heal easily overnight. That along with Hope's Cure spell.

"So why were you watching me?" She caught me when I was alone at the lake, washing my face.

"What are you talking about?" Dammit, she caught me watching her.

She knelt beside me, her eyes were on me as I splashed more water on my face. "Afraid I'd let you die while you slept?" I grunted. "Don't trust me or somethin?"

"No." I grabbed my blade and turned to walk away from the water to rejoin the group. "Let's get moving." I took off down the pathway before anybody had a chance to speak their protest. Or at least, before I heard them.

Minor fights here and there during our trek. It appeared to be a rather boring, calm day for us. Yea, I should have known better. She was on to something. I heard the rustling behind me, then she quickly jumped up into a tree and hopped from branch to branch ahead of me. Damn, she was fast. "Fang! Wait for us!" There was a worried look on Vanille's face, that same worried look every time Fang took part in a battle when she didn't. The worried look one would give to a lover. No…I can't be swayed by that now, Fang was after something and we had to stay with her to make sure she wasn't injured.

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She was such an idiot. I watched her as the others made their beds later that evening for sleep. She had ran off and decided to be macho by fighting three Flans by herself. "Why did you do something so stupid!" It came out as more of a angered statement then a question.

"I told you, I protect Vanille." She stood her ground, staring me in the eye. She was just slightly taller then I was

"So you run off…put your own life in danger…for some kid!" By now, our arguing had drawn the attention of the group.

She reached down to pick up her spear in her right hand. "She's not some kid. She's my sister. You'd do anything to protect Serah, wouldn't you? Though, from what I've seen, you've done a damn good job of that alright."

I could feel my knuckles turning white around the leather handle of my blade. I lifted my blade and swung it at her. I had forgotten how fast she really was as she easily blocked it with her own weapon. After a few more blocked blows I saw my opportunity. A swift kick to her mid-section drove her onto her back, yet she rolled backwards and made it back to her feet. I grumbled as I ran toward her, full speed. She swung at me, but I timed my jump perfectly to land on the other side of her, joining my fist to her jaw.

"Fang, Lightning stop it!" It was Vanille.

"Let them at it kiddo, it was bound to happen eventually." Sazh joined in the conversation. "They won't kill each other."

She paused for a moment and lifted her hand to her jaw. She laughed. "Nice shot. Are you done yet?"

I came at her with another assault, a mixture of my weapon and kicks. She matched me blow for blow. I ducked under her spear and took her legs out from under her. Before I could straddle her hips to pin her down she rolled away, again.

"Why won't you admit I'm faster than you?"

"Prove it."

And she did just that. At the blink of an eye I found myself on my back her spear handle pressed against my wrists above my head, her weight on my hips. I tried to fight her. My body refused to respond when I tried to stand up, to move, to do anything. I took a deep breath and looked up at her. Her scent, the look in her eyes. To have her this close to me. It tore down all my defensive walls. I hated it yet loved it. There was one person in this world who could do this to me. And I was pinned under her.

"Told you so." She grinned. "Do you admit that I win?"

"No." I turned my head away from her.

"There's nothing wrong with admitting defeat. As a soldier you must have learned that."

"Get off of me!" I tried one more time to push her off. My back arched and my head came up off the ground.

"Why? So you can try and gouge out my eyes again? I'd rather not take that chance." Her voice softened, sending a chill down my spine. "Besides, I don't think you want me to move."

My head snapped back to look at her, we were mere inches apart now. "What are you talking about?" The weight of the bar that was across my wrists started to lighten. She must have sensed I wouldn't make a move to hurt her. Not now.

I gently touched her cheek once one of my hands was free. "You know darn well what I'm talking about." She leaned her head against my hand. Her skin, it was so soft. Almost like silk. Just as I had expected it to be. My eyes met with hers. "She is just my sister Lightning."

"Fang! Lightning! Where are you?"

The sound of our names brought me crashing back to reality. "Get off of me!"

"Right back to the emotionless super soldier." She stood up and offered her hand down to me. "You're not fooling me anymore."

We shared one last glance before we picked up our weapons to rejoin the group.


	3. Chapter 3

**_Thank you for all the reviews : ) I know Fang and Vanille aren't sisters. Just watching their interaction in the game shows otherwise. But I went with it because it fits in with the storyline I'm going for. Maybe somewhere down the line I'll write a Fang/Vanille fic and see how it goes.

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The Pain

Chapter 3

"Why can't you just admit that you lost?" I stopped mid-stride to look at Fang. She had been pressing the subject ever since the battle the night prior.

"You caught me off guard, that's all."

"She kicked your ass didn't she sis?" My eyes narrowed to tiny slits as I glared at him. Snow knew just what would bother me. Attacking my dignity was the button he had become quite fond of ever since Serah brought him home to meet me.

"I'm not your sister. How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"For a stern soldier, you sure do show a lot of emotion." She smirked. It was a different kind of smirk. I knew exactly what she was taking a stab at. She saw me at my weakest.

"Can we take a break, my feet hurt!" I turned to see the two youngest take a seat on the rocks. I knew I'd be outnumbered.

"I'm with Vanille. We've been walking for hours." Sazh joined the pair on the rocks.

Sometimes I forgot how old he was and how young Hope and Vanille really were. "I'm going to look around." I forced myself not to look at Fang before walking through some shrubbery to explore the area.

Not only did I want to check for dangers, I also wanted some time alone. What if they hadn't come looking for us? What would have happened? The longer I walked the more I replayed it in my mind. Over and over again. I don't understand how it's possible for one person to move so fast.

I pulled my blade out and aimed for a large tree. In my mind I placed Fang's face on that tree trunk as I began slashing and hacking away at its bark. Slowly but surely my hits became softer and weaker. They also started slowing down.

"And what, might I ask, did that tree ever do to you?"

I sat down on the ground and leaned my back against the damaged tree trunk. "Following me now?"

"You tend to draw trouble." She chuckled lightly as she sat in front of me on the ground.

"And your point? I left because I wanted to be alone."

"No you didn't." I looked up into those green eyes. The same green eyes I once hated are now the green eyes that melted all of my walls. I quickly looked away. "What is your problem anyway?"

"You!" I stood up and started walking away from her. A few feet away though, I stopped and looked back at her. "You're my problem. Before I met you I thought I had everything figured out. Everything was going just fine in my life. I was following through with my focus. Then you came in…" I looked down at the ground. "You make me question everything Fang."

"Well now, I wasn't exactly expecting that." She rose to her feet and closed the gap between us.

My heart rate started to speed up. "What would have happened last night?" I looked deep into her eyes, she was within arm's reach of me now.

"What do you mean?" Her arms folded over her chest. I've learned from watching her, it's a nervous habit of hers.

"You know what I mean Fang…I dropped my guard last night. The minute you touched me all my defenses failed. And you knew it."

"Hmm." Fang smiled, a full smile, not just a smirk. "I knew there was a heart under that stone cold exterior of yours."

"Everybody has a heart. I just choose not to wear it on my sleeve." I couldn't stand being that close to her anymore. I turned to walk away.

She grabbed my wrist and spun me around to face her. I had no chance to fight before her lips crashed against mine. My body tensed. My senses screamed. My mind begged me to pull away. Yet my heart egged me on. I relaxed into the kiss. It took a moment but I did. My head tilted to the side, eyes falling shut. Arms moved up to wrap loosely around her neck. Her lips were so soft. Gentle and soft, just as I imagined them to be.

"That's…what would have happened last night." A cold chill ran down my spine as she spoke. The words were barely above a whisper.

The only response I could muster up was to push her against the tree and kiss her again. It was harder and deeper then the first one. She made no attempt to push me away. Our mouths fell open in unison and our tongues met in the middle. The only noise that could be heard was a moan. I was so caught up in her taste that I didn't know if it was my moan or her moan. I didn't care. All of my apprehensions were pushed aside at that moment in time.

Thank you Fang. I smiled at her as we broke apart. We didn't say a word aloud, nothing was needed. Thank you Fang, for putting an end to my fears. Thank you Fang, for putting an end to the pain that I felt.

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**_Hope you enjoyed it. I may try to write more stories about Fang and Lightning. I love the pairing. Not all future stories will be based on game play. Don't forget to review : )_**


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